Other funding opportunities for young musicians

Posted 10 months ago

Here are other funding opportunities for young musicians. We keep this list as updated as possible; however if you spot any errors, out of date information or would like to add another funding opportunity to the list please contact: Hannah Turner: [email protected] | 0300 302 0023

Last updated: March 2019

NATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Felicity Belfield Music Trust

The ‘Felicity Belfield Music Trust‘ was formed in 1990 by Felicity Belfield MBE to provide orchestral instruments. The policy of the ‘Trust’ is to enable students to have an instrument worthy of their musical aptitude.

Most students are recommended by their teacher as being worthy of a better instrument than they can afford. Subject to approval, the ‘Trust’ then buys (or shares the cost of) a suitable instrument for loan to the student, which must be returned when he/she reaches 25 years old.Anyone up to the age of 21 years old may apply. Evidence of musical ability and need for financial assistance will be necessary. The ‘Trust‘ will consider financial assistance towards music courses that further musical ability and/or orchestral skills.

Cherry Tree Foundation

Future Talent

Future Talent gives financial support and guidance to young musicians aged between 5 and 18 who are demonstrating outstanding musical ability or potential, but for whatever reason do not have the financial means to reach their goal. They have various grants and bursaries available.

Hattori Foundation: Junior Awards

Instrumental soloists between the ages of 15 and 20 who are resident in the UK and have demonstrated both exceptional talent and achievement may apply at any time of the year for financial assistance towards travelling expenses to attend national or international competitions, master classes within the UK or abroad and specific assistance in the case of hardship.

Please note that funding is not available for singers, orchestral courses, full-time study or instrument purchase and awards cannot be made in arrears.

The Music and Dance Scheme

The Music and Dance Scheme provides grants and help with fees at 8 independent schools and 21 centres for advanced training. Your child must be aged 8 to 19 to be eligible for the music schools. Apply direct to the school or centre you want to go to.

Music for all

The grant application process allows us to help people fulfil their musical dreams. Young, old, regardless of personal or life challenges, we truly want music to be for all! Funding for purchase of musical instruments/equipment etc will be considered.

Sydney Dean Whitehead’s Charitable Trust

The Trust provides grants towards the education of children whose parents are unable to provide them with an education suitable to their position or abilities; With the exception of a maximum age of 18, no geographical or other restrictions are imposed on the grant applications.

The Christine Brown Trust for Young Musicians

The Christine Brown Trust for Young Musicians offers financial support to exceptionally talented young musicians under 19 years of age, who are UK residents and who are experiencing financial hardship. This may mean contributing towards the cost of lessons, helping to pay for a new instrument, perhaps paying for summer school or orchestra fees – in fact, anything connected with the costs of an instrumental education.

Craxton Memorial Trust

Applications are invited from highly talented musicians who are completing their studies, embarking on their professional career or have a special project in mind and who are in need of financial assistance. There is no restriction on nationality but applicants should have been resident in the UK for a year prior to applying. Awards are currently made to pianists and instrumentalists, excluding the players of organ, harpsichord and percussion.

The Wrightson Trust

Priority is given to those between 8 and 18 and support is not normally given to those over 25. Towards payment for instrumental lessons, assistance with choir/orchestra tour fees, music colleges etc. Grants range from £100-£800.

REGIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Devon Educational Trust

DEVON

Provide some individual grants for assistance with the study of art, music, literature, drama and dance. Applications will not be accepted from persons who will have reached the age of 25 years when their application is considered. Applicants must live in Devon on a permanent basis for at least twelve months. Temporary residence whilst at University does not qualify.

Dewar Arts Awards

SCOTLAND

To be considered for a Dewar Arts Award, an applicant must: Be under the age of 30 and live or work in Scotland. Demonstrate outstanding talent in any artform. Be without the financial means to achieve their full potential. The Trustees look for candidates who have strong ambition and a real passion for their chosen artform.

Be under the age of 30

Live or work in Scotland

Demonstrate outstanding talent in any artform

Be without the financial means to achieve their full potential

The Trustees look for candidates who have strong ambition and a real passion for their chosen artform.

The Agar Trust

SCOTLAND

The Agar Trust supports young people (8-21) resident in rural Scotland who demonstrate exceptional musical ability and potential and wish to further their musical education beyond their local area. The Agar Trust awards grants from £100 up to £1000. You must be resident in a rural part of Scotland: this includes much of the Highlands and Islands, Argyll and Bute, Dumfries and Galloway, the Scottish Borders, Aberdeenshire and Moray.

Friends of Staffordshire Young Musicians

STAFFORDSHIRE

A vital part of FOSYM’s work is providing grants and awards to help encourage and develop musical talent amongst Staffordshire’s young people. There are a number of grants available, with differing criteria.

Kent and Medway Young Musicians Trust

KENT AND MEDWAY

The Kent and Medway Young Musicians’ Trust was set up to help young people who might be prevented from taking part in various musical activities because of financial difficulties. For example, the Trust is able to make awards to help towards the cost of musical activities, which are organised on a countywide basis in the geographical area of Kent and Medway. To be eligible for a grant you must be under 21 years of age (or you must be a full time music student under 23 years of age). You must live in Kent or Medway or be at school in this geographical area.

Michael Badminton Young Musicians Trust

NORFOLK

The Trust supports young string players in Norfolk with tuition costs, loans of instruments and assistance to attend courses in the UK and abroad. It also promotes the Norfolk Young Musician Competition.

Norfolk Youth Music Trust

NORFOLK

The grant will help the development of highly-talented Norfolk-based young musicians to pursue careers as professionals by offering annual grants and occasional public-performing opportunities. Successful applicants will already be highly skilled in one or more of the six disciplines (strings, brass, keyboard, percussion, voice and woodwinds) and will be either undergoing a period of study at a music college or specialist school, or who have made plans to do so.

Michael Hurd Fund

PETERSFIELD AND SURROUNDING AREA

Grants may be awarded to individuals or organisations and must benefit young people of 25 years or under who show an aptitude in their chosen field of musical training. Individual recipients must have lived or attended school or college within the grant area which is defined as the counties of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight together with residential addresses, schools and colleges in Surrey and West Sussex situated within a twenty-five mile radius of Petersfield.

North Nibley Arts Bursary

GLOUCESTERSHIRE

Applications are invited from those under the age of 26 who live or were born within a six-mile radius of North Nibley. Grants include the cost of upgrading a musical instrument, assistance with the cost of Summer courses in Music, Dance and Drama, donating towards the cost of postgraduate study, assisting with a course to repair musical instruments

Radford Charitable Trust

CORNWALL

Provide grants for tuition, instrument purchase, ensemble and workshop fees as well as travel costs for attendance at college auditions or lessons. We have a stock of good student instruments which we lend free of charge for up to three years. Applications for grants and instruments can be made at any time. The majority of decisions on grant applications are made at the annual meeting of the Trustees in September.

Bishop Fox’s Educational Foundation

SOMERSET

The aim of The Bishop Fox’s Educational Foundation is to promote the education of young people through a grant scheme within the following areas: Music – to include travel, tuition, materials and equipment (but not the purchase of instruments) and experiences. Applicants must be aged between 11 and 24, in need of financial assistance and either a pupil or former pupil of the following schools/colleges in the Borough of Taunton Deane – Bishop Fox’s School, The Castle School, The Taunton Academy, Heathfield Community School, Courtfields Community School, Kingsmead Community School, Richard Huish College, Bridgwater and Taunton College (Taunton Campus only) or other state maintained schools/colleges.

The Christine Best Foundation

SURREY

For disadvantaged individuals who can demonstrate a notable talent for music and who are situated within a radius of five miles of St, James’ Church, Weybridge, Surrey, for the furtherance of their musical education and performance.

Elizabeth Allen Trust

LONDON: BARNET

The trustees of the Elizabeth Allen Trust are able to award a number of grants each year to assist eligible people to pursue their education. We invite applications from young people under the age of 25 whose permanent residence or place of education is in the London Borough of Barnet. Applicants will be expected to establish genuine financial hardship.

Ewelme Financial Awards

OXFORDSHIRE, BERKSHIRE, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, HAMPSHIRE, WILTSHIRE

Every year they give means-tested Bursary Awards to applicants aged between 11 and 18 and Grants to applicants aged between 11 and 25 and resident in Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Ramridge in Hampshire and Conock in Wiltshire. These awards support educational opportunities for young people in both State and Independent education who demonstrate exceptional talent or need.

Hampshire Foundation for Young Musicians

HAMPSHIRE

Funds are available in the form of awards which enable young musicians to undertake studies or specific projects in connection with composition, conducting, instrumental and vocal performance, with grants, for example, for music tuition and music course fees. Areas such as music in education, music technology, musicology and participation in competitions of international standard are included. Funds are not available for the purchase of musical instruments, equipment or sheet music, nor for general undergraduate or postgraduate course fees.

The Kochan Trust

LINCOLNSHIRE

One of this Trust’s priorities is the promotion of the study and execution of creative arts and musical study and performance. They will consider applications for musical study and performance from young musicians living in Lincolnshire. Please send an initial letter to the Trustees to enquire.

The Richard Ely Trust For Young Musicians

DOREST, BOURMOUTH, POOLE

The Richard Ely Trust for Young Musicians was set up to support young people who wish to pursue an interest in music. Gives grants towards the expenses of young people who are engaged in musical studies and activities and are suffering financial hardship. Examples of such expenses would include instrumental or vocal tuition, attendance on a course of study, membership of a performing group, and the purchase and maintenance of an instrument. You must be below the age of 21 at the time of making your application.

The Westdene Fund

SUSSEX

The Westdene Fund awards grants to individual young people (16-25 years) and living in Sussex, and who demonstrate an outstanding musical talent with an intention to pursue a career in music, and financial need. Awards are made to support a specific activity, such as a masterclass or participation in the National Youth Orchestra, or towards the cost of acquiring a better grade of instrument.

Young Musicians Fund

TYNE AND WEAR, NORTHUMBERLAND

The trust has enabled young people to buy their own instrument, update equipment, attend a residential or receive music lessons. The fund prioritises low income families who can struggle to afford the costs of supporting a passionate and committed young musician.

Young Musicians Support

DARTINGTON, NORTH DEVON

YMS supports learning with awards to promising students to help pay for their lessons. YMS supports performance by arranging concerts featuring young local talent. YMS supports listening by subsidising tickets for classical concerts at local venues. Please note you cannot apply directly: at the beginning of each year, schools and music teachers are invited to nominate outstanding classical music students whose family circumstances merit some financial help.

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